Flush tank deodorizer



Dec. 9, 1952 R. T. ADDLESBLJRGER 2,620,435

FLUSH TANK DEODORIZER Filed March 11, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Roy T.Addlesburger His Ahorney Dec. 9, 1952 R. "r. ADDLESBURGER FLUSH TANKDEODORIZER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 11, 1948 Roy T. Addlesburger 3%His Attorney Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSHTANK DEODORIZER Roy T. Addlesburger, McKees Rocks, Pa.

Application March 11, 1948, Serial No. 14,351

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a flush tank deodorizer and particularlyconcerns a deodorizer for use in a private home.

The present invention is an improvement in the attachment for flushtanks disclosed in Patent No. 2,331,589, granted October 12, 1943. Whilethis prior invention is satisfactory for many installations, it hasbecome desirable to increase the efficiency of the flush tank deodorizerby confining the deodorant to the flush tank and toilet therebyconserving the high grade deo-' dorants frequently used in a home.

It is a major object of this invention to provide a flush tankdeodorizer which will confine the deodorant to the tank and toilet bowlthereby reducing the escape of deodorant and reducing the aroma in theroom in which the deodorizer is located.

It is an important object of the invention to conserve the deodorant forthe tank by effectively using it only when the tank is flushed.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a fiush tankdeodorizer which may readily be attached to conventional tanks withoutaltering the tank or the flushing mechanism and which will confine thedeodorant to the tank by providing a door for admitting air to thedeodorant chamber only when the tank is flushed, the door being closedto confine the evaporated deodorant to the flush tank and the toiletbowl during idle periods between flushing operations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following specification taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toilet with the walls of the flushtank broken away to show a deodorizing attachment embodying theinvention in its preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the deodorizing attachment shown in Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the deodorizing attachment shown in Fig.1, with some portions in section fOr purposes of clearness;

Fig. 4 is a partial transverse section of the flush tank shown in Fig.1;

form.

In its preferred form the invention includes a shelf which may be fittedto the top of a conventional flush tank, with a tank top covering theshelf to form a substantially air-tight deodorant chamber, the tophaving an aperture formed in one end providing a communicating passagebetween the deodorant chamber and the atmosphere outside of the tank.One or more openings are formed in the shelf to provide a communicatingpassage between the chamber and the flush tank. The shelf has adeodorant receptacle between the opening and the aperture, and a doornormally closing the aperture which may be opened when the tank isflushed to permit the passage of air over the deodorant in thereceptacle into the chamber and through the openings into the tank.

For a more particular description of the invention reference may be hadto Figure 1 of the drawings, which shows a conventional flush tank llhaving side walls l2, l2, and a front wall-l3. This flush tank isprovided with a conventional fiush mechanism I l for discharging liquidfrom the tank into toilet bowl I5. Supported on the top edges of thewalls l2 and I3 is a shelf [6, which preferably forms a substantiallyair-tight seal, at [1, around the edges of all walls of the tank. Theshelf I6 is provided with a series of deodorant receptacles l8, [8,along the front portion of the shelf and which, preferably, aresuspended below the level of the shelf to contain a liquid deodorant [9(Fig. 3). Conduits 20, 20, connecting adjacent receptacles I8, l8, serveto maintain the same liquid level of deodorant in all receptacles. Eachreceptacle is provided with a wick 21 having a mushroom surface 22supported by a perforated plate 23 so the wick extends into the liquidis.

A top 24 covers the shelf and has side and rear walls 25, 25, and afront wall 26, which preferably form a substantially air-tight seal, at21, around the periphery of the shelf IS. The front wall 28 is providedwith an elongated aperture 28 extending across the entire wall to form acommunicating passage between the external atmosphere and the deodorantchamber defined by the shelf I B and the top 24.

In order to prevent the passage of air through the aperture 28 (Fig. 4)during idle periods of the tank, a door 29 has its ends hinged, at 30,to uprights 3 I, 3|, projecting upwardly from each end of the front ofthe shelf I5. One of the hinges 30 is provided with a suitable spring 32to normally hold the'door 29 against the front wall 26 to close theaperture 28'. When the tank is 3 flushed, it is, of course, necessary topermit the entrance of air into the tank as the liquid is discharged.For this purpose, one end of a flexible chain 33 is connected at 34 tothe door 29. The other end of the chain 33 is connected to a tensionspring 35, which, in turn, is connected by a suitable clamp 3'! to amovable part 35 of the flush mechanism. The spring 35 in effect providesan extensible connection, permitting movement of the flush mechanismwithout damaging the door. Thus, when the flush mechanism is operated,the liquid in the flush tank is discharged and the ball float 38 islowered so it pulls through the spring 35 and chain 33 to open the door29. Air enters through the aperture 28 into the deodorant chamberbetween the shelf 16 and the top 24 and passes over the deodorantsaturated pads 22. To permit air to pass from the chamber above theshelf into the flush tank openings 39, 39, may be formed in the shelf [6to provide a communicating passage between the deodorant chamber and thetank.

Inasmuch as the deodorant receptacles iii are arranged between theaperture 28 and the openings 33, the air passes over the deodorant andevaporates a portion of it before entering the tank. After the tank isflushed and refilled, the door 29 will be closed so the deodorantchamber is substantially closed to the external atmosphere and thedeodorant aroma is confined withf in the flush tank so it will notescape into the room in which the tank is located. However, as the flushtank is usually connected to the toilet bowl by an overflow pipe 40, theevaporated deodorant, being somewhat heavier than air, may slowly, butcontinuously, enter the bowl. Thus, a constant supply of deodorant ismade available to the bowl. As the evaporated deodorant is confined tothe flush tank and the toilet bowl, it is not wasted by escaping intothe room during the idle periods between flushing operations. Thus, theefficiency of the deodorant is materially increased by confining thedeodorant to the flush tank and the toilet bowl. To permit smallquantities of air to enter the deodorant chamber between flushingoperations, small vents 4|, 41, are formed in the door 29. These ventsmaybe provided with adjustable covers 42, 42, any number of which may beopened so a, small amount of air will pass into the deodorant chamber.

While the invention is shown in Fig. 1 as used with a liquid deodorant,a solid deodorant may be used without modifying the receptacle E8. inthe shelf it. As shown in Fig. 6, a solid deodorant block 45 may beplaced on a compression spring 46 in the bottom of receptacle 18. Thespring 43 retains the top of the block 45 against the perforated plate23 in the top of the. receptacle so air from the aperture 28 will passover the deodorant 45 to the opening 39 and into the tank.

In case it is desired to use a deodorant in crystal form, a smallreceptacle 4? (Fig. '7). may be placed on the shelf instead of theperforated plate 23. As the crystal deodorant 48 in the receptacle 41 ispositioned between the aperture 28 and the openings 39, air entering thedeodorant chamber will evaporate a portion of the deodorant as it passesthrough the openings 39 into the tank. If a small block of deodorant isused, it may be placed in container 41 or on top of the plate 23.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides a 4 flush tank deodorizer which may be attached tothe conventional flush tank in a home. As the deodorant is normallyconfined within the flush tank and the toilet bowl, greater efiiciencyis obtained, resulting in a reduction in the quantity of deodorantrequired. Inasmuch as air is caused to pass over the deodorant when thetank is flushed, a quantity of the deodorant is evaporated durin theflushing operation when it is most needed. At other times only asmallamount of deodorant is evaporated because the only flow of air isthrough small vents 4| and down the overflow pipe 40 into the bowl. Thisresults in a material economy in the use of expensive high gradedeodorants usually provided for home purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. A flush tank deodorizer comprising a shelf at the top of a flushtank, a top covering said shelf to form a deodorant chamber, an apertureformed in. said top providing a communicating passage between thechamber and the atmosphere outside of the tank, an openable doornormally closing said aperture, an opening formed in said shelfproviding a communicating passage between the chamber and the tank, andmeans operated by the flushing mechanism of the tank for opening saiddoor 2. A flush tank deodorizer comprising a'shelf at the top of a flushtank, a top covering said shelf to form a deodorant chamber, an apertureformed in said top providing a communicating passage between the chamberand the atmosphere outside of the tank, a door normally closing saidaperture, an opening formed in said shelf providing a communicatingpassage between the chamber and the tank, and a flexible memberextending through the shelf and connected to said door and to the flushmechanism in the tank, said flexible member being actuated by theflushing mechanism for opening said door to permit the paslszage of airthrough said chamber into the tan 3. A flush tank deodorizer comprisinga shelf at the top of the flush tank, a top covering said shelf to forma deodorant chamber, an aperture formed in said top providing acommunicating passage between the chamber and the atmosphere outside ofthe tank, a door normally closing said aperture, an opening formed insaid shelf providing a communicating passage between the chamber and thetank, a deodorant receptacle on said shelf between said aperture andsaid opening, and means connected to said door and actuated by operationof flushing mechanisniin the tank for opening said door when the tank isflushed.

4. A flush tank deodorizer comprising a shelf at the top of the flushtank, a top covering said shelf to form a deodorant chamber, an apertureformed in said top providing a communicating passage between the chamberand the atmosphere outside of the tank, a door normally closing saidaperture, an opening formedin said shelf providing a communicatingpassage between the chamber and the tank, a deodorant receptacle on saidshelf betweenv said aperture and said opening, and a flexible memberextending through said shelf and connected to said door and to the flushmechanism in the tank, said flexible member being actuated by operationof the flush mechanism for opening said door upon operation of the flushmechanism.

5.. A flush tank deodorizer comprising ashelf at the top of a flushtank, a top covering said shelf to form a substantially air-tightdeodorant chamber, an aperture formed in said top providing acommunicating passage between the chamber and the atmosphere outside ofthe tank, a door normally closing said aperture, an opening formed insaid shelf providing a communicating passage between said chamber andthe tank, a deodorant receptacle on said shelf between said aperture andsaid opening, a vent in said door spaced from said receptacle, and meansfor opening said door, said means being actuated by flushing mechanismin the tank to open said door when the tank is flushed to permit thepassage of air over said receptacle and into the tank.

6. A deodorant attachment for a flush tank comprising a shelf adapted torest on the top of the flush tank, a top covering said shelf and havingdepending walls to form a substantially airtight deodorant chamber, saidtop being formed with an aperture in one of said walls providing acommunicating passage between the chamber and the atmosphere outside thetank, an openable door normally closing said aperture, an opening formedin said shelf providing a communicating passage between the chamber andthe tank, a deodorant receptacle on said shelf between said aperture andsaid opening, and means on said door for connection to flushingmechanism in the tank to open said door when the tank is flushed topermit the passage of air over said receptacle and through said chamberinto the tank.

7. A flush tank deodorizer comprising a shelf at the top of a flushtank, a top covering said shelf to form a deodorant chamber, an apertureformed in said top providing a communicating passage between the chamberand the atmosphere outside of said tank, a door normally closing saidaperture, and an opening in said shelf forming a communicating passagebetween the chamber and the tank, said door being mounted on said shelffor movement into the chamber as the Water falls when the tank isflushed, to open the aperture thereby permitting the passage of airthrough the chamber into the tank.

8. A flush tank deodorizer comprising a shelf at the top of a flushtank, a top covering said shelf to form a deodorant chamber, an apertureformed in said top providing a communicating passage between the chamberand the atmosphere outside of the tank, a pivotally mounted doornormally closing said aperture, an opening formed in said shelfproviding a communicating passage between the chamber and the tank, anda deodorant receptacle on said shelf between said aperture and saidopening, said door being movable on its pivotal mounting into thechamber as the water falls when the tank is flushed, to

open said aperture thereby permitting the passage of air through saidaperture over said receptacle and through said opening into the tank.

9. A deodorant attachment for a flush tank comprising a shelf adapted torest on the top of the flush tank, a top covering said shelf and havingdepending walls to form a substantially air-tight deodorant chamber,said top being formed with an aperture in one of said walls providing acommunicating passage between the chamber and the atmosphere outside thetank, a door movably mounted on said shelf and normally closing saidaperture, an opening formed in said shelf providing a communicatingpassage between the chamber and the tank, a deodorant receptacle on saidshelf between said aperture and said opening for containing a liquiddeodorant, a perforated plate at the topof said receptacle, and a wicksupported by said plate extending into said receptacle, said door beingmovable into the chamber as the water falls when the tank is flushedthereby permitting the passage of air over said wick and through saidchamber into the tank.

10. A deodorant attachment for a flush tank comprising a shelf adaptedto rest on the top of the flush tank, a top covering said shelf havingdepending walls to form a substantially air-tight deodorant chamber,said top being formed with an aperture in one of said walls providing acommunicating passage between the chamber and the atmosphere outside thetank, a door hinged on said shelf and normally closing said aperture, anopening formed in said shelf providing a communicating passage betweenthe chamber and the tank, a deodorant receptacle on said shelf betweensaid aperture and said opening, a perforated plate at the top of saidreceptacle, and a compression spring in the bottom of said receptaclefor forcing a solid deodorant block upwardly against said plate, saiddoor being movable into the chamber as the water falls when the tank isflushed thereby permitting the passage of air over said plate andthrough said chamber into the tank.

ROY T. ADDLESBURGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,325,897 Waltman Aug. 3, 19432,331,589 Addlesburger Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date415,849 Great Britain Sept. 6, 1934

